All You Need Is Love: Artist Way Creative Workshop Rediscover a Sense of Compassion 8/10/2023

This week, author, Julia Cameron, addresses how easy it would be to abandon ship at this point in the workshop. She stresses the importance of treating ourselves with accuracy and compassion and calling things by the right names. Instead of using the term laziness for not creating we need to call it what it is: fear. Fear is what is blocking our inner artist. We spend many years misplacing this energy internally causing self-hatred, regret, grief, jealousy, and self-doubt. Fear of failure, success, and most importantly abandonment is what blocked artists fear the most.

The only cure for fear is LOVE. It seems cliché, but it is that simple and that difficult at the same time. Treating ourselves with compassion, and self-love is key to becoming unblocked. Over time “being an artist requires enthusiasm more than discipline. Enthusiasm is not an emotional state. It is a spiritual commitment, a loving surrender to our creative process, a loving recognition of all the creativity around us”. In fact, enthusiasm (from the Greek, “filled with God”) is an ongoing energy supply tapped into the flow of life itself. Enthusiasm is grounded in play, not work. Far from being a brain-numbed soldier, our artist is our child within, our inner playmate. As with all playmates, joy, not duty, makes for a lasting bond”.

Julia discusses creative U-Turns that we place in our paths to prevent our progress because of fear. This happens in all careers, not just creative ones. We need to offer ourselves sympathy because creativity is scary. We must also work on releasing all resentments, anger, and resistance or fears, remembering that our inner artist is a child. “It sulks, throws tantrums, holds grudges, harbors irrational fears. Like most children, it is afraid of the dark, the bogeyman, and any adventure that isn’t safely scary. As your artist’s parent and guardian, its big brother, warrior, and companion, it falls on you to convince your artist it is safe to come out and (work) play”.

That is why we have been getting together every week for our Artist Play Dates. We have been exploring a wide variety of different arts and crafts, and mediums, in fun and safe play spaces. This week we had some fun making Fairy Gardens. It was a very fun activity and we all had fun creating safe fun play spaces.

Note there will not be a workshop next week. The next workshop will be the week of August 21st. We will be discussing Ch. 10 Rediscovering a Sense of Self-Protection and working on dream catchers in a two-part project.

Suggested supply list:

Macrame or Embroidery Hoop (size is up to you)

Macrame or Yarn (at least 2 skeins because we will be making feathers to complete the dream catcher next week) Color is up to you

Scissors Masking Tape Embellishments like beads, crystals, etc.

Medium-sized comb Craft Glue